RE:RE:HME article-MOVE ON FROM PHE - rates?And then back to reality.....
The current PHE is set to expire Oct. 15, but stakeholders believe it will be renewed for another 90-day term – until mid-January of 2023.
One major area of concern post-PHE: the end of the 75-25 blended reimbursement rate for providers in non-rural areas. That will reset rates back to what they were set several years ago, says Ronda Buhrmester, senior director of payer relations and reimbursement for VGM & Associates.
“That’s devasting – all costs are up, the cost of goods, payroll expenses,” she said. “I’m not sure providers are prepared to go back to those old rates.”
Another concern: flexibility around telehealth. While rules around telehealth visits were loosened during the pandemic, for most HME providers, the rules are still very restrictive, says Buhrmester.